Numerical controller

Abstract

A CNC apparatus (10), wherein a PC circuit (300) for sequence control of a peripheral device is provided in addition to a PC circuit (200) for sequence control of a machine (60) to be numerical controlled. The sequence programs executed by the respective PC circuits are made capable of independently inputting to and outputting from EEPROMs (240, 340) and also made capable of independently editing and diagnosing. Further, signal transmission and reception between the PC circuits (200 and 300) so that both the sequence programs can be executed coordinately with each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A numerical control apparatus, comprising: storing means for storing a first sequence program for performing sequence control of a machine to be numerical controlled and a second sequence program for performing sequence control of a peripheral device operating in coordination with operation of the machine; and   one or more signal storages for storing interface signals transmitted and received between a first process executing the first sequence program and a second process executing the second sequence program;   wherein the machine is sequence controlled and numerical controlled and the peripheral device is sequence controlled by said numerical control apparatus to coordinate operation of the peripheral device with mechanical operation of the machine.   
     
     
       2. A numerical control apparatus, comprising: memory means for storing a plurality of sequence programs including a first sequence program for performing sequence control of a numerically controlled machine and a second sequence program for performing sequence control of a peripheral device operating in coordination with operation of the numerically controlled machine;   program executing means for executing the first and second sequence programs respectively;   one or more signal storages for storing interface signals transmitted and received between a first process executing the first sequence program and a second process executing the second sequence program;   selecting means for selecting one of the first and second sequence programs;   diagnosing means for displaying a content and executed state of the selected sequence program; and   editing means for performing editing, inputting and outputting of the selected sequence program.   
     
     
       3. A numerical control apparatus, comprising: storing means for storing a first sequence program for performing sequence control of a machine to be numerical controlled and a second sequence program for performing sequence control of a peripheral device operating in coordination with operation of the machine;   program executing means for executing the first and second sequence programs respectively by first and second execution processes;   a first signal storage for storing first interface signals transmitted and received between a numerical control section and said program executing means, coordination of the numerical control of the machine with the sequence control of the machine being performed in accordance with the first sequence program and using the first interface signals;   a second signal storage for storing second interface signals transmitted and received between the first and second execution processes, coordination of the sequence control of the machine with sequence control of the peripheral device being performed in accordance with the second sequence program and using the second interface signals;   selecting means for selecting one of the sequence programs;   diagnosing means for displaying a content and executed state of the selected sequence program; and   editing means for performing editing, inputting and outputting of the selected sequence program.   
     
     
       4. A numerical control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of said first and second signal storages comprises storing means for storing an output signal from a first unit to a second unit and for storing an input signal from the second unit to the first unit, the first and second units being coupled to said signal storage. 
     
     
       5. A numerical control apparatus, comprising: a numerical control circuit;   a first programmable controller circuit for performing sequence control of a machine to be numerically controlled; and   a second programmable controller circuit for performing sequence control of a peripheral device;   wherein each of said first and said second programmable controller circuits comprises a CPU and a memory storing a sequence program executed under control of the CPU;   said numerical control apparatus further comprising signal transmitting and receiving means for performing signal transmission and reception under control of the CPUs, said signal transmitting and receiving means being provided between said numerical control circuit and said first programmable controller circuit and between said first programmable controller circuit and said second programmable controller circuit, respectively.   
     
     
       6. A numerical control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: said numerical control circuit comprises interfaces to a manual inputting device with a display screen and for connection to an external memory device, and   a memory area for storing a program for editing and/or diagnosing the sequence programs; and     the manual inputting device connected to the numerical control circuit can be switched between modes selected from a selecting mode for selecting either of the first sequence program and the second sequence program for editing or diagnosis,   an inputting mode for storing the program stored in a storage medium of the external memory device into the memory of said first or said second programmable controller circuit selected according to the selecting mode,   an outputting mode for storing the program stored in the memory of said first or said second programmable controller circuit selected according to the selecting mode into the storage medium of the external memory device,   an editing mode for editing the program by the use of the display screen and storing the edited program into the memory of said first or said second programmable controller circuit selected according to the selecting mode, and   a diagnosing mode for displaying the program stored in the memory of said first or said second programmable controller circuit selected according to the selecting mode onto the display screen in a form wherein an operator can understand the program.     
     
     
       7. A numerical control apparatus, comprising: a first programmable controller coupled between a machine and a numerical controller performing numerical control of the machine, said first programmable controller storing interface signals for transmission therefrom and performing sequence control of the machine in accordance with a first sequence control program; and   a second programmable controller coupled between said first programmable controller and a peripheral device operating in coordination with operation of the machine, said second programmable controller performing sequence control of the peripheral device in accordance with a second sequence program and the interface signals transmitted from said first programmable controller.   
     
     
       8. A numerical control apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising one or more signal storages for storing the interface signals in transit from said first programmable controller to said second programmable controller. 
     
     
       9. A numerical control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein: said first programmable controller includes a first storage for storing the interface signals for transmission therefrom; and   said second programmable controller includes a second storage for storing interface signals received from said first programmable controller.   
     
     
       10. A method of performing sequence control of a numerically controlled machine and sequence control of a peripheral device operating in coordination with the machine, the method comprising procedures for: storing a first sequence program for performing sequence control of the numerically controlled machine and a second sequence program for performing sequence control of the peripheral device;   executing the first and second sequence programs;   storing interface signals indicating information for coordinating the sequence control of the peripheral device with the sequence control of the machine;   reading the stored second interface signals in accordance with the second sequence program;   selecting one of the sequence programs;   displaying a content and executed state of the selected sequence program; and   performing editing, inputting and outputting of the selected sequence program.   
     
     
       11. A numerical control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is mechanically coupled to the machine. 
     
     
       12. A numerical control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral device is mechanically coupled to the machine. 
     
     
       13. A numerical control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the peripheral device is mechanically coupled to the machine. 
     
     
       14. A numerical control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the peripheral device is mechanically coupled to the machine. 
     
     
       15. A numerical control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the peripheral device is mechanically coupled to the machine. 
     
     
       16. A numerical control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein: said first programmable controller comprises a first programmable controller circuit; and   said second programmable controller comprises a second programmable controller circuit.   
     
     
       17. A numerical control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is one of a work loader and a pallet changer. 
     
     
       18. A numerical control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral device is one of a work loader and a pallet changer. 
     
     
       19. A numerical control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the peripheral device is one of a work loader and a pallet changer. 
     
     
       20. A numerical control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the peripheral device is one of a work loader and a pallet changer.